Swift to the beat of RAP

Did you ever thought about learning to rap? Or do you and some of your friends are really into rap, hip-hop and R’n’B. Well, now with Rap App you can learn to rap in an easygoing and fun manner.

Today, I’d like to talk a bit about our, developers’ view on the Rap App; interesting design choices, tech behind the application and development history.

Simple doesn’t mean simplistic

Rap App is a mobile application that is, in its core, a rather simple and lightweight app. Seemingly, it’s just some beats with some simple lines. However, Rap App’s real value lies in combination of aforementioned beats and lines with a very open-ended gameplay.First, let’s discuss music. When I’m saying “beats” I don’t mean some cheap, random drums with simple bassline. I mean loops made from the classy and well-known songs. Additionally, you may play them in three tempos: slow, original and a fast.

When it comes to lines, there are currently 25 levels and each one has dozens of lines and hooks. More will probably come in the future. The lines may feel simple when they’re just read, but the real fun begins when you add the great idea for the gameplay to them.

The most crucial aspect of the Rap App is to have fun with friends, thus you have two main modes: group and solo. The solo mode is great when you just want to focus on rap learning, freestyling and checking out the rhymes. You can also just want to show off your mad skills. Rap App really aces with its group mode. All you need is to just pick your lines, choose the beat and rap with your friends.

And that’s what I find to be a very interesting gameplay design, even though it’s not a game per se. The app itself is nothing more, but a tool through which you may have fun with colleagues. It’s not about the complex gameplay and hundreds of achievements. Just a pure and simple fun.

The magic inside

Rap App is a mobile app made exclusively for iOS and written in solely in Swift 4.0. The decision to write this application in Swift was partially our idea and partially came as the best solution for the client. One of the main goals set by the client was to substitute graphic files with images programmed with the native code right inside the application. Also, with Swift’s rapid developement, we managed to complete the project in just 3 months. We didn’t start from the scratch — the client supplied us with complete design. However, it was our job to think about some of the user experience aspects, especially in the field of smooth animations that match current trends in mobile development. Finally, Swift makes a very good start for future development by making it much easier to add new functionalities.

Of course, there is no software project without challenges. In the Rap App’s it took us some time to make sure the app will support every possible type of iOS device screens and resolutions, especially when both us and the client wanted only the best result. There shall be no negotiations with mediocrity, dullness and sloppiness :)

Plans for future

Basically, the plan is to add new functionalities, mostly regarding elements of social networks. We’re happy to be part of Rap App mobile application development team and we surely are looking forward to some more interesting and quality-demanding projects.